(Feel free to subsitute Camden for any county – the message stays the same)
Each Spring, in efforts the celebrate our graduating public-school seniors, the Camden Education Association publishes the name of every graduating senior along with their post-secondary destination whether it be college, trade school, employment, or the military. Looking over the list of the past few years, and seeing our Camden public school students have gone on to further their education at institutions like Cornell University, Syracuse University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Delaware State University, Rutgers University and Rowan University to name a few, as well as serving our nation in every branch of the military, we can take comfort knowing that our schools are putting our children on the right track to move forward with their lives. While some students opt to forgo continuing their education and go right into the world of work, and others decide to enter trade schools, a host of our high school graduates will choose to stay much closer and continue their education at Camden County College – a decision that certainly warrants celebration as well.
It cannot be denied that children hear and, in many cases, internalize the prevailing attitudes and preconceived notions about their environments especially pertaining to where they live or go to school. That said, we need to rethink all we’ve heard communicated regarding our students attending Camden County College and trust our students know what is best for them. True, Camden County College does not have televised sports programs, they do accept the vast majority of applicants, and do not offer a four-year degree, but to dismiss the school or our children who do, and will, attend Camden County College, says more about our collective gullibility and lack of confidence in our children’s decision-making than anything else. In fact, there are many advantages to attending Camden County College that are rarely considered by adults but are taken into account by our students who actively choose to attend the school.
A few things our students consider in actively choosing Camden County College as their school of choice:
Cost: Camden County College costs $107 per credit and $321 per class compared to $1962 per credit at Rowan University and $5,886 per class; here our students are practicing fiscal prudence which we should readily celebrate. Students are actively deciding to not go into deep financial debt simply because of a school’s name
Location: Camden County College’s three locations at Blackwood, Camden, and Cherry Hill provide ample opportunity for our students to get to class in each of their readily accessible locations. In that transportation may be an issue for a lot of students who do not have cars, simply being able to get to class is a huge perk. Each of Camden County College’s location are easily accessible by public transportation
Proximity to Support Network/Home Responsibilities: As much as our high school seniors seem grown and ready to literally take on the world, many have anxiety about physically being away from home for extended periods of time. Being in an environment they know, around people they love, and able to access people they feel comfortable going to for help is a huge factor in our students deciding to keep their educational pursuit local. Additionally, many students are taking care of family members, either as siblings or as children taking care of older guardians and staying close, in their eyes, is matter of their familial duty and responsibility
Transferability of Credits: Many of our students know that credits gained in General Education courses at Camden County College are transferrable at all state colleges in NJ. In that, students are recognizing that it makes no sense to pay close to TWENTY TIMES more for class at one college as it does to take to the same class at Camden County College. Our students who attend Camden County College and then transfer to a four-year college or university will graduate college in much better financial shape than those who opt to attend a four-year university throughout
Breadth of Course Offerings: For many students entering post-secondary education, many are still unsure of what they want to pursue for their future career, and Camden County College offering both academic and technical courses that lead to career certification helps provide students with an array of options that suit students’ unique preferences and situations
Simply put Camden County College represents a good fit for many of our students. With all of the above factors combined, Camden County College is an excellent post-secondary choice. Students can get to school, be around their support network and people they feel close to, keep college costs to a minimum, and schedule their classes around their obligations. For these reasons, we really need to be much more careful in how we think, discuss, and celebrate our students going to Camden County College. Many students are very thoughtful and deliberative in that decision, one that requires independence, self-awareness and maturity. These students ought to be recognized and celebrated in the same way we congratulate those who head off to Lincoln University or Temple University – after all, it’s not where you start, it’s how you finish.
